Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 11

Verses 1-23

2. Rehoboam’s kingdom ch. 11

This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It contains an evaluation of both Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Israel set up a humanly devised form of worship (2 Chronicles 11:15). This resulted in many of the faithful followers of Yahweh traveling from Israel to Judah so they could continue to worship God as He had specified (2 Chronicles 11:16). Many faithful worshippers of Yahweh thus populated Judah. The true Israel was now in Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 11:3; 2 Chronicles 12:1). [Note: Cf. Williamson, 1 and 2 . . ., p. 238.] The faithfulness of these northern Yahweh worshippers lasted only three years, however (2 Chronicles 11:17). Rehoboam, like Solomon, was not entirely faithful.

"Each of the three short paragraphs which make up this section [2 Chronicles 11:5-23] uses a motif (building; defection of the faithful from the north to the south; large family) which the Chronicler regularly uses to demonstrate God’s reward for faithfulness." [Note: Ibid., p. 240.]